What is the width in feet of a rectangular parking lot which covers 21,294 sq ft and is 3 1/2 times as long as it is wide?

Answer 1

Area = length * width

21294 = (7/2)X * X <--- length is 3 and 1/2 times as long, and 3 and 1/2 = 7/2

21294 = (7/2)X^2 <--- property of exponents: x times x is x^2

21294 * 2/7 = X^2 <--- multiply both sides by 2/7 to clear the fraction

6084 = x^2 <--- will solve for x by taking square root of both sides

x = 78 <--- positive square root only, of both sides, as dimension must be positive

7/2 * 78 = 273 is the length

78 * 273 = 21294

RECTANGLE is 273 by 78